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Mobile ViewEXTERIORS of buildings STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE BUILDING SETTLEMENT CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes CRAWL SPACES DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION Deck Construction Best Practices BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS Deck Beams & Girders Deck Piers & Posts Deck & Porch Connections: Ledger Boards Deck Framing Tables, Spans Deck Flashing at Building DECK FLOOR & STEP CUPPING Deck Board Gaps, Spacing Guide Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs Deck & Porch Railings Deck & Porch Products, Manufacturers Fasteners, Nails, Screws, Hidden, for Decks Fasteners, Structural for Decks Finishes, Coatings, Stains for Decks Porch Construction & Porch Screening Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber Rooftop Deck Construction Rot-Resistant Deck Lumber & Flooring Synthetic Deck Lumber: Composite, Plastic, Vinyl DECK COLLAPSE Case Study DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study DECKS, ROOFTOP CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS STAINING on ROOFS DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized DEFINITIONS of ENGINEERED WOOD OSB LVL etc DEHUMIDIFICATION PROBLEMS DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENGINEERED WOOD Flooring ENGINEERED WOOD Products FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE FRAMING MATERIALS, Age, Types FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE FRAMING METHODS, Age, Types FRAMING SIZE & Spacing, Age, Types FRAMING TABLES, SPANS for DECKS FRENCH DRAINS FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB FRT PLYWOOD I-JOISTS, Wood Roof Floor LOG HOME GUIDE MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS MOISTURE CONTROL in buildings Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING PRE-CUT & KIT HOMES Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH RAILINGS, STAIRWAY RETAINING WALL DESIGNS, TYPES, DAMAGE RETAINING WALL GUARD RAILINGS ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES ROT, TIMBER FRAME SEARS KIT HOUSES SHEATHING, Gypsum board SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board SHEATHING, OSB SHEATHING, Plywood SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STONE CLEANING METHODS STUCCO WAll FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER STUCCO WALL METHODS & INSTALLATION STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION STUCCO PAINT FAILURES SURFACE GRADING, SITE DRAINAGE TERMITES, ROT THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in buildings TRIM, EXTERIOR CHOICES, INSTALLATION TRIM, INTERIOR INSTALLATION TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF TRUSSES, Floor & Roof VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in buildings VENTILATION in buildings WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES WALL FINISHES INTERIOR WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING WINDOWS & DOORS ALUMINUM WINDOWS Best Practices Guide for Windows & Doors: CLIMATE, WINDOW CHOICES FOR CONDENSATION on WINDOWS & SKYLIGHTS Doors, Exterior, Energy Efficiency Guide Doors, Exterior Flashing Details Doors, Exterior, Frames DOORS, EXTERIOR, Selecting & Installing DOORS, INTERIOR FIBERGLASS WINDOWS GLASS vs HEAT MIRROR SOLAR GAIN/Loss HURRICANE, WIND, & STORM-Resistant WINDOWS LOW-E WINDOW GLAZING LOW-E VS QUAD-GLAZING LOW-E RETROFIT ADD-ON FILMS POLYCARBONATE GLAZING SITE BUILT DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS SKYLIGHTS, Guide to Choosing & Installing Skylight Condensation Problems Skylight Window Design Issues Skylight Energy Efficiency Skylight Installation Procedures SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR SKYLIGHT VENTILATION DETAILS SLIDING GLIDING WINDOW DEFECTS SLOPED GLAZING DETAILS STORM WINDOW INTERIOR STORM WINDOW PLASTIC CHOICES STORM WINDOW WEEP HOLES SUNGAIN, FILMS, LOW-E GLASS SUNSPACE GLAZING for SUNTANNING VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS VINYL WINDOWS VINYL / PVC WINDOW WARPING WINDOW / DOOR ENERGY EFFICIENT, DOE WINDOW / DOOR AIR LEAK SEALING HOW TO Window Certification WINDOW EFFICIENCY Features & Ratings Window Flashing & Sealing Guide WINDOW HARDWARE PHOTOS Window Installation, Flange-Type Window Installation, w/ Integral Brickmold WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT Window Materials & Construction Window Types, Guide WINDOW TYPES - Photo Guide Window & Door Sources WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD Burning Heaters Fireplaces Stoves More Information |
This article explains critical safe-construction details for decks and porches, including avoiding deck or porch collapse and unsafe deck stairs and railings. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Also see our review of that book. Our page top photo shows a hybrid deck structure that encompasses a boat. No fasteners were found securing the boat to the deck however. Details about choosing the right structural connectors for decks and how they should be installed are at Fasteners, Structural for Decks. At Fasteners, Nails, Screws, Hidden, for Decks we discuss choosing the proper nail, screw, or hidden fastener for fastening deck boards, railings, or joist hangers. Spans, sizes and spacings for deck joists and deck beams are discussed in detail at FRAMING TABLES, SPANS for DECKS and are shown in Table 4-7 and Table 4-8. Basic building framing information is found at FRAMING SIZE & Spacing, Age, Types. Also see Deck Framing Tables, Spans and Deck & Porch Connections: Ledger Boards. And see Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber. see Rot-Resistant Deck Lumber & Flooring for a discussion of lumber and flooring alternatives to preservative-treated wood. This article series discuss best porch & deck construction practices, including choice of framing materials, decking or flooring choices & installation, how to select and use deck and porch structural and flooring fasteners, actual deck & porch framing construction details & connections, deck joist & beam span tables, how to build leak-proof rooftop decks, construction of covered & screened porches, deck & porch railing construction & materials, choices of finishes and stains for decks & porches, and past & current deck lumber preservative treatments with related health & environmental concerns. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, Daniel Friedman, Steve Bliss, Wiley & Sons, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. A Quick Photo Guide to Steel Connectors Used in Deck Construction
For a more streamlined appearance, however, joist hangers are acceptable. Make sure the hangers and nails are approved by the manufacturer for use with the new types of pressure- treated wood (ACQ or ACZA) and fill all the holes in the hangers with properly sized nails. In general, nail into the joists with 1 1/2-inch joist-hanger nails and nail into the beam with 10d to 16d common nails, as specified by the hanger manufacturer. Deck Joist & Beam Sizing Tables & A Quick Rule of Thumb for Sizing JoistsSpans, sizes and spacings for deck joists and deck beams are discussed in detail at FRAMING TABLES, SPANS for DECKS and are listed in Table 4-7 and Table 4-8. Guide to Selecting the Proper Deck & Porch Structural Fasteners, Screws, Nails, Lags, Bolts
New Wood Preservatives and Their Corrosion Effects on Deck Nails, Screws, Connectors & FastenersAlso see Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber.
Most treatment manufacturers recommend that fasteners and hardware in contact with the new treated wood be stainless-steel, heavily coated hot-dipped galvanized, or proprietary fasteners tested and approved by the manufacturer. Hot-Dipped Galvanized Nails for Treated Lumber Decking
Stainless Steel Nails & Screws for Decks in Salt-Exposed or Wet/Humid ClimatesIn very wet or humid climates, or in areas subject to salt-water spray or deicing salts, stainless steel is the best choice. Stainless steel is also recommended for tropical hardwoods, which tend to cause staining with coated nails. Both types 304 and 316 stainless steel have been tested for use with the new wood preservatives ACQ and copper azole. Type 304 is suitable for above- ground applications. Type 316 is recommended in areas subject to salt or salt water. Watch out: Never use stainless steel in contact with galvanized steel, as the galvanized coating will quickly corrode. Where fasteners such as nails, bolts, or lags are in contact with metal connectors, use the same metal for bot Proprietary Deck Screw or Nail Coatings
If using one of these fastener types, make sure that it is recommended by the manufacturer for the specific type of decking being installed. Aluminum Deck NailsBest Practices Guide to Residential Construction continues: Watch out: Do not use aluminum fasteners, connectors, or flashings in contact with pressure-treated wood. The copper-based waterborne preservatives will cause corrosion and premature failure. Also see Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber. Hidden Deck Fasteners for Deck BoardsOver time, face-nailed deck fasteners may loosen, stain the wood decking, or lead to splitting and water penetration. Particularly with higher-end decking materials, such as tropical hardwoods, more customers are opting for hidden fastening systems (see Deck & Porch Products, Manufacturers). Each system is proprietary, and some require proprietary tools supplied by the fastener manufacturer. Some suppliers of hardwood decking recommend a specific fastener for their product and may sell the fasteners along with the decking. There are two types of systems. One, such as Deckmaster® (Grabber Construction Products), uses a right-angle bracket that fastens to the tops of the joists and screws into the underside of the decking. These are easiest to install if the installer has access from below the deck. The other type uses individual fasteners that fit between adjacent decking planks and screw down into the top of the joist. These typically attach to the edges of the decking planks with clips or prongs. A variation on this type called Eb-Ty (Blue Heron Enterprises) fits into slots cut into the edges of adjacent deck boards with a plate jointer (see Figure 4-5 below). The biggest concern with hidden deck fasteners is whether they are strong enough to resist the tendency of deck boards to warp or twist. For that reason, they are best used with premium decking products, which are dimensionally stable. Tropical hardwoods and composite decking are good candidates for hidden fasteners. -- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Guide to Selecting the Proper Deck or Porch Floor Decking FastenersWhether using nails or screws, make sure to choose a product that is up to the task both structurally and aesthetically. In general, screws are more expensive to buy and install, but often they make for a neater job with fewer callbacks due to boards popping up. Construction adhesives specially formulated for treated wood may be used in conjunction with nails or screws. Nails for Use with Deck Floors - DeckingIf the decking is to be nailed, use either spiral-, twist-, or ring-shanked nails to resist pullout. When using pressure-treated wood, the fasteners should be either hot- dipped galvanized, meeting ASTM A153, or stainless steel Type 304 or higher (see New Preservatives and Corrosion, above and see Preservative-Treated Framing Lumber). Galvanized nails sometimes cause discoloration with redwood, cedar, and tropical hardwoods, so stainless steel is a safer choice with these materials. Aluminum nails are also an option for redwood or cedar, but they should not be used with pressure-treated wood. The bigger the head, the better the hold-down power. At a minimum, use a casing nail, preferably a common. Some manufacturers sell special decking nails with a head size in between the two. For 5/4" decking use a 10d (3-inch) nail. For thicker decking use a 16d (3 1/2") nail. Decking Spans for deck flooring are shown in the Table 4-4 below.
Screws for Use with Deck Floors - Decking
-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Also see DECK COLLAPSE Case Study (collapse of a new code-approved deck) and DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study for an example of an older deck with rot and collapse due to improper construction and missing building flashing. Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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